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1996-02-27
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Subj: Pound Pound Pound Section: Marketing OS/2 Apps
To: Jon Duringer[IdeaFa, 71732,3361 Monday, January 08, 1996 1:16:01 AM
From: Terry Norton [IdeaFarm], 71540,3161#70576
>> you are right, that -is- the way that capped meterware works.
Sorry, but it isn't.
1. There's no contract that says you pay anything for any time period;
2. Nothing has to be returned to the owner when you stop paying (using);
3. There's never any decision to be made whether to go ahead and buy or not;
4. Once the cap is reached, the user isn't still paying rent.
Terry [IdeaFarm] (OS2BVEN 1) OS/2ing on 08-Jan-96 at 1:18a Vermont time
#: 70592 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
08-Jan-96 10:45:56
Sb: #70576-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Jon Duringer[IdeaFa 71732,3361
To: Terry Norton [IdeaFarm] 71540,3161
>> Sorry, but it isn't.
ROFL. Terry, I stand corrected on all four points. It is clear to me that
you are quite ready to take over as the IdeaFarm Origin on Compuserve. <s>
#: 70643 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
08-Jan-96 14:45:58
Sb: #70592-#Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Terry Norton [IdeaFarm] 71540,3161
To: Jon Duringer[IdeaFa 71732,3361 (X)
>> It is clear to me that you are quite ready to take over as the IdeaFarm
>> Origin on Compuserve. <s>
I see that smile on the end.
Using some of the logic I've seen, credit cards payments sounds like
Rent-to-Own. But we all know it's not even close.
Terry [IdeaFarm] (OS2BVEN 1) OS/2ing on 08-Jan-96 at 2:16p Vermont time
There is 1 Reply.
#: 70651 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
08-Jan-96 15:31:04
Sb: #70643-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Jon Duringer[IdeaFa 71732,3361
To: Terry Norton [IdeaFarm] 71540,3161 (X)
>> I see that smile on the end.
The smile comes from the thought that I will be able to become a software
hermit again, reenter my software cave, and concentrate on product
development. Do you realize that Meterware Services was written by a man who
locked himself into an empty studio apartment 10 miles from his wife and kids
for a year, who didn't shave, who slept in a sleeping bag, and who only
showered when the itching was more compelling than the beauty of the C++ code
(about once per week)?
I'd better take that picture that you requested now, while I still wear a
white shirt and a tie. <g>
Subj: Pound Pound Pound Section: Marketing OS/2 Apps
To: Terry Norton [IdeaFarm], 71540,3161Monday, January 08, 1996 11:45:00 AM
From: Guy Scharf [Sysop], 76702,557 #70596
Terry,
But the cap is set by the programmer, right? So if a programmer decided he really wanted a rental
scheme, meterware could be used to implement that without any further changes just by making the
cap very, very large.
Guy
#: 70644 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
08-Jan-96 14:46:03
Sb: #70596-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Terry Norton [IdeaFarm] 71540,3161
To: Guy Scharf [Sysop] 76702,557 (X)
>> But the cap is set by the programmer, right?
Correct.
>> So if a programmer decided he really wanted a rental scheme
That's also correct. Then it's up to the user to decide if it's cost
effective and worth his while.
IMO, users would look for another app to use if an author did such a thing.
Also, if an author accepts credit cards, the author could do the same thing if
they wanted to. But this has nothing to do with the credit card issuers, nor
IdeaFarm for the same reason. IdeaFarm allows a transaction to take place
between two parties, just like credit cards do.
Terry [IdeaFarm] (OS2BVEN 1) OS/2ing on 08-Jan-96 at 2:29p Vermont time
#: 70676 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
08-Jan-96 19:23:06
Sb: #70480-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Charles Stirling 100010,1433
To: Jon Duringer[IdeaFa 71732,3361 (X)
> the user does not understand what she can accomplish with the
> product, because the marketing program has not provided a clear,
> understandable statement of features and benefits
> What other obstacles to sales can you think of
OK, Meterware:
1. So far not explaned is how money is collected. Is a modem required? Is a
credit card required? Is connection to a particular host required? Is it an
expensive long distance call that is made? What happens if payment is due and
can't make the call? This needs to be part of your marketing.
2. Buyer resistance / worry on costs. Are they sure what is going to be
charged? Do they trust the vendor to give accurate billing information and
costs before they are incured? Do they get an invoice that can go through the
company books? What will the accountant think of small, irregular payments?
Will they feal they lose control on payments? Can they end up locked out of
the application (DeScribe periodic disk update example) if payment not made.
This will be part of applications vendors marketing.
3. Very inexpensive software assumes either a large market or easy to write
applications. So if it is neither of these does it exclude meterware? If not
then some of the above become more relevant as obstacles.
*** I sell woodworking tools, generally better ones. I end up with lots of
usefull tools that are not in great condition and have put them out in front
of the shop at a price of 0.?? and a lot of people still won't bother with
them. Say a good usable saw at $0.50 may not sell. You have to have the
right items first. Then they need proper marketing. A good nicer looking
saw, does the same job, at $40 may well sell quicker. Then the right customer
base. Some is real value, some is perceaved value. Part of software
marketing as much as any other is maybe too often what the packaging looks
like -- the saw in a jumble box or inside the shop.
#: 70696 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
08-Jan-96 23:31:42
Sb: #70676-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Jon Duringer[IdeaFa 71732,3361
To: Charles Stirling 100010,1433
>> So far not explaned is how money is collected.
I need to let Terry Norton 71540,3161 answer these because that's his "job"
now. <s> Thank you for the good questions.
#: 70801 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
09-Jan-96 20:29:59
Sb: #70676-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Terry Norton [IdeaFarm] 71540,3161
To: Charles Stirling 100010,1433
>> Is a modem required?
Yes. Not for getting the app, but for ordering refills for the meter.
>> Is a credit card required?
No. Refills are ordered by e-mail from IFO. The refill is sent to the user
by e-mail as well. IFO will then send an invoice for the amount. The user
sends a check to IFO in the US, or to an address in there own country. If the
user wants, they can pay via SWREG at an added costs, or it's free if there is
no place in their country to send a check.
>> Is connection to a particular host required?
No.
>> Is it an expensive long distance call that is made?
No. Authors can place their metered apps anywhere, such as the Internet.
>> What happens if payment is due and can't make the call?
IdeaFarm will allow the user to run the meter down to -$10. Beyond that,
IdeaFarm will start to request (nag) the user to order a refill. At no time
is the user ever denied access to their apps.
>> Are they sure what is going to be charged?
That's between the vendor and the customer. The vendor will need to inform
the customer of any costs, just like they do now. How the user pays for an
app, whether cash, check, credit card, or meterware, has no effect on any
dealings between the customer and the vendor. Meterware, just like the other
methods, simply allows a transaction to take place.
>> Do they trust the vendor to give accurate billing information and costs
>> before they are incurred?
That's up to the user to ask the vendor if it isn't clear.
>> Do they get an invoice that can go through the company books?
Not a paper one. But I'd imagine IFO could provide one if needed. The one
sent by e-mail can just be printed.
>> What will the accountant think of small, irregular payments?
I suppose if the account doesn't like small irregular payments, he can have
the user/administrator order larger refills less often.
>> Will they feel they lose control on payments?
Shouldn't. Metered apps cost X amount of money, just like unmetered apps.
>> Can they end up locked out of the application (DeScribe periodic disk
>> update example) if payment not made.
No.
>> Very inexpensive software assumes either a large market or easy to
>> write applications. So if it is neither of these does it exclude
>> meterware? If not then some of the above become more relevant as
>> obstacles.
Your examples pretty much follow my views as well. However, marketing, value,
etc., is all up to the authors and users, just like they are now. Allowing
the user to pay via metering is just the payment method. The user probably
won't be concerned about whether an app/utility is 10 cents, 50 cents, etc.,
since it's such a small amount they probably just won't care. All they will
be concerned about, at these prices, is whether they want to use a utility or
not. Hopefully the author will create useful utilities that a lot of people
will find useful and use. If it is, the author will receive a nice income
automatically.
Terry [IdeaFarm] (OS2BVEN 1) OS/2ing on 09-Jan-96 at 7:03p Vermont time
#: 70724 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
09-Jan-96 10:07:37
Sb: #70478-#Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Shmuel Metz (Atid/2) 71054,3066
To: Jon Duringer[IdeaFa 71732,3361
>> There is no cents sign on a US keyboard. Apparently, IBM did not imagine
that meterware would come along and make it possible to offer software to OS/2
users that is priced below a dollar. <s> <<
You've hung an innocent man. It wasn't IBM that decided what characters to
have on the keyboard, it was ANSI. Sure IBM could have said "standards, we
don't need no stinking standards" and added non-ASCII characters, but they
would have been beaten profusely about the head and shoulders had they done
that. FWIW I would have been happier had they used EBCDIC (which does have a
Cent sign) for the original PC, but I understand why they didn't.
Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz, SysProg & JOAT, Atid/2, Team OS/2, Team PL/I
There is 1 Reply.
#: 70748 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
09-Jan-96 11:40:16
Sb: #70724-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Herbert Ice 72370,2501
To: Shmuel Metz (Atid/2) 71054,3066
Schmuel,
> FWIW I would have been happier had they used EBCDIC (which does
> have a Cent sign) for the original PC, but I understand why they
> didn't.
Me too, give me a 'F0'x or 'C1'x, and I would be happier. Alas the moving
hand has writ...
Jay Ice
Iceware Inc.
#: 70939 S20/Marketing OS/2 Apps
11-Jan-96 09:17:21
Sb: #70724-Pound Pound Pound
Fm: Samuel G. Little 70544,10
To: Shmuel Metz (Atid/2) 71054,3066
> FWIW I would have been happier had they used EBCDIC (which does
> have a Cent sign) for the original PC, but I understand why they
> didn't.
I have a BIG problem remembering that ASCII is digit-upper-lower order while
EBCDIC is lower-upper-digit order when sorting. Drives me bananas. OTOH, I
like having letters in sequence rather than in chunks of 8 or 9 with gaps....
--Sam. (Warped & using GCP 2.22)
sam_little@iacnet.com